The Hunt for the White Phoenix
by Snowy Princess
Summary: Kira Lunada is a normal school girl attending Meiou Private High School. Or so she thought. With her forgotten past, will she be able to fend off the demons that seek her? And will she be betrayed by the only person she trusts?
1. The Hunt Begins

**Hi everybody! Snowy here! This is my first fan fiction here on this site. Reviews and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Also, I may be slow updating as I tend to get bogged down with school work. =_=; Anyway, please enjoy "The Hunt for the White Phoenix".**

**Disclaimer:I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters. The only characters I own in this story are Kira and Mimi. (Obviously! ;P)**

**Chapter One: The Hunt Begins**

Kira looked around her dorm room at Meiou Private High School and sighed.

_Why did I come here? _She thought to herself with a sweat drop. The school was full of highly intelligent students, but many of them were self-centered and preppy, especially the girls. The worst of them were always surrounding the top student of the school, Shuichi Minamino.

Like most of the girls at the school, Kira was also attracted to him. His brilliant green eyes and flaming red hair made for an eye catching combination. And not only was he intelligent and handsome, he was also very kind and brave. Just the other day, he'd rescued a little girl from a burning house. Of course, this only added to his popularity even more. Those fan girls of his just followed him around like he was the only boy on earth. In truth, this irritated Kira even more. Perhaps it was because she, too, had a huge crush on him. But she was far to shy to even say hi to him.

Her roommate, Mimi, walked up behind her, interrupting her day dreams.

"There you are!" she said with her characteristic mischievous grin.

"Mimi!" gasped Kira in shock, placing her hand over her chest. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Staring at Shuichi again, I see."

"I am not!"

"Oh, just go talk to him! We all know you like him."

"N-no, I don't! I'm not like all those fan girls of his!"

"Go talk to him! He won't bite you!"

"No! Besides class is about to start."

"Ugh, you're no fun at all, you know that?"

Kira laughed as she grabbed her school bag off her desk and walked out the door. Mimi walked along side Kira as they made their way to their Chemistry class. Unfortunately, it was also Lab day.

"Mimi, please try not to blow anything up this time…"said Kira as they entered the room. "I'm pretty sure Mr. Takado doesn't want to deal with another green goo incident."

"Ok, that was an accident," she replied while trying not to laugh, "and besides, how was I supposed to know that overheating the solution would make it gooey and explode?"

"Oh, so, all the other explosions were intentional?"

"You know what I meant."

Kira took her seat next to Mimi and set up their lab table. Shuichi came in a few moments later, and sat at the table next theirs. This was the only time Kira had ever seen him alone.

"Excuse me," he said politely. "May I borrow see your notes from last week?"

Kira looked up from her book and was startled to see him standing next to her.

"Y-yes, of course," she said timidly. She heard stifled gasps from some of the other girls in the class. Mimi giggled beside her. "Here you are."

"Thank you," he said. "My name is Shuichi Minamino. And you are?"

"My name is Kira Lunada," she said calmly. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Lunada."

Shuichi took his seat as Mr. Takado entered the classroom.

"Ok, class, the lab directions are in front of you," he said loudly. "Get to work!"

With that, Kira went to retrieve several chemicals from the closet in the back of the room. She handed Mimi a bottle of sodium hydroxide and a small waterbottle.

"Put some water in the beaker and don't add _anything_ to it until I get back," said Kira as she continued to gather chemicals.

But no sooner did she get back to the lab table, Mimi dumped all the chemicals into the beaker. The liquid began to boil, causing the glass beaker to shake violently.

"No, Mimi, don't--!" Kira shouted, but it was too late. A loud bang rattled the windows of the school. When the smoke cleared, the room was covered in a two feet of a thick, white foam. Kira popped up out of the foam, but it was nearly impossible to see her because she was covered in it. Some of the kids in the back coughed and wiped the foam off themselves.

"Damn it, Mimi!" said Kira sharply. "This is the fifth time this month!"

But all Mimi could do was laugh. Kira sighed as Mr. Takado approached the two of them.

"Go visit the principle's office, Miss Yasatori," he said pointing to the door..

"Yes, sir..." sighed Mimi as she got up.

* * *

Kira dried her hair with a towel as she went to open the window. Cool air filled the room and rustled the curtains.

_Such a nice evening._She thought to her self as the breeze blew through her long, dark brown hair and her deep blue eyes sparkled in the magnificent sunset. At that moment, Mimi burst through the door.

"How'd it go?" Kira asked as she grabbed her purse.

"I got a week of detention," said Mimi frowning. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, I need to get some fruit from the market," she replied. "I'll be back soon."

Kira left the girl's dormitory, and walked quickly to the market. But she sensed that she was being followed. Turning quickly into the entrance, she hid herself in one of the aisles. Three eerie men, dressed in black suits, passed her hiding place. They seemed to be searching for her, so she decided leave before they found her. Kira ran from the store only to find two more of them waiting outside.

"Hey, we've been looking for you there missy," said the taller, thinner man.

"Lord Yomi is waiting for you," said the other shorter, fatter man.

_Lord Yomi? Why...does that name sound so familiar? And why am I so afraid of hearing that name? _

"Wh-what do you want from me?" Kira stuttered frantically.

"So you found the White Phoenix, eh?" asked one of the men who had come up behind her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked in confusion.

"Don't play dumb with us," said another man. "Let's go. Lord Yomi will be quite cross with us if we're late bringing you."

One of the men grabbed Kira's arm, and proceeded to drag toward the park, where a strange portal was waiting for her. But Kira screamed and managed to break free from his grasp.

"After her!" shouted one of the men.

Kira ran as fast as she could, turning quickly down an alley way in an attempt to lose them. But it was a dead end.

_I'm gonna die!_ She thought as the strange men closed in on her.

* * *

**Well, I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter! Chapter two will be coming soon! Don't forget to review!**

**Until next time,**

**~Snowy**


	2. A Blooming Friendship

**Hey, Snowy here! Sorry for the delay in updating the story, but hey it happens. Anyway, without further ado, I bring you Chapter two! Oh and don't forget review and comment on the story! **

**Chapter Two: A Blooming Friendship**

* * *

Kira was distracted from her fear momentarily when she noticed that the men were, in fact, not men at all. Now that she looked at them, she realized that some of them had horns and teeth sticking out of their faces. Some even had green skin and many eyes; they were demons. One of them reached out and grabbed her by the wrist.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed and pushed him away with her free hand. The moment her hand made contact with his skin, flames erupted and engulfed the demon, burning to him to cinders in seconds.

After incinerating most of the demons, only one remained. But Kira was weak from using so much of her energy. She fell to the ground, surrounded by a pool of demon blood, and waited for the last remaining demon to take her. Eyes shut tight, she waited and waited but nothing happened. A gentle hand touched her shoulder, and her body tensed.

"Miss Lunada, are you all right?" said a familiar voice.

Kira looked up and saw Shuichi standing over her. He was holding his Rose Whip in one of his hands as he offered the other to her. She took it as her pulled her to her feet. But she was too weak to stand up and her legs gave out on her.

"Are you hurt, Miss Lunada?" Shuichi asked with concern.

"N-no..." Kira replied. "I'm just...tired..."

Shuichi put away his whip and picked her up off the ground, taking her to the infirmary. Kira blushed quickly and tried to get him to put her down.

"Put me down," she said trying to hide her embarrassment. "I can walk."

He raised an eyebrow, as if to say "I don't think that's a good idea" but set her on her feet anyway. Kira wobbled a bit and he held her arm carefully to steady her. But the moment she tried to take a step, Kira fell flat on her face.

_Great. _Kira thought when she hit the concrete._ The boy you like saves your life, and when he tries to help you, you refuse and you fall flat on your face. Way to go, Kira. _

Shuichi tried to hide a smirk as he once again lifted her off the ground.

"You shouldn't push your body so hard if you lack the energy to do so," he said calmly. "It's dangerous."

"I'm fine," she said again, this time more firmly.

"And that's why I had to pick you up off the ground?"

Kira had no come back for that one. Besides, she knew he was right, as usual. What was the point in arguing in the end? Silence passed between them as they made their way to the infirmary.

"She collapsed from exhaustion," Shuichi told the nurse when they arrived at the infirmary. By this time, Kira had fallen asleep and couldn't deny that she had collapsed.

After leaving Kira at the infirmary, Shuichi's cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Kurama, have you found the girl?"

"Yes, Lord Yomi. I will bring her if you guarentee that she will not be harmed."

"Of course. She shall not be harmed."

* * *

"Wh...where am I?" Kira asked quietly.

"Your in the infirmary, dear," said the nurse gently. "Shuichi Minamino brought you here."

"He did? How long have I been asleep?"

"Three days. You were pretty exhausted."

_I must have used too much energy fighting those demons...._

Kira jumped out of the bed, stumbling slightly as she opened the door.

"You shouldn't move around yet!" the nurse said worriedly.

But Kira ignored her and left the infirmary. She ran down the hall and up a flight of stairs until she found Mimi.

"What happened to you?" she asked in curious tone. "Some of the other students were saying you had collapsed."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kira said quickly. "Have you seen Shuichi?"

"He's in the Library, why?"

"Thanks, Mimi. I'll see you later."

It didn't take Kira long to find Shuichi. He was in the back of the Library, talking to several members of the Science Club. Some of the members noticed her standing there paitently. They said good bye to Shuichi and left he and Kira alone to talk.

"Are you feeling well?" Shuichi asked concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine now," said Kira with a slight smile. "I...just wanted to thank you for saving me. You know...until three days ago, I thought all demons were bad. I see I was wrong."

"You can tell I am a demon?" Shuichi asked surprised.

"Mhmm. I can sense it. Your aura...it's not human."

"Are you frightened by me?"

"N-no. Not at all."

"Something else is bothering you. Would you care to tell me?"

"It's nothing," she said with a timid smile.

"In any case, we can't leave you unprotected," Shuichi said thoughtfully. "I am going to ask Hiei to keep an eye on you tonight."

"Hiei? Who's that?" she asked curiously.

"He's a friend of mine. And yes, he, too, is a demon." He said calmly. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you. Just give him strawberry sweet snow, and he'll behave."

Kira looked at him with a strange expression, and Shuichi laughed.

"It's what Hiei calls ice cream."

Later that night, as Kira was drying her hair with a towel, she saw a dark figure standing on a tree branch outside her window.

_Who...?_

As if reading her mind, the figure answered her thoughts.

"My name is Hiei," he said opening the window grumpily. "The fox sent me."

"The fox?" asked Kira confused. "Do you mean Shuichi?"

"His name is Kurama."

Before she could say anything, the lock on her dorm door clicked.

"Crap, it's Mimi!" she gasped. "She can't see you or... or...ohmigosh!"

With that, Kira pushed Hiei back out the window and slammed the window just as Mimi walked in. Mimi jumped when she heard the crash.

"Um....What was that?"

"Uh....I think Chichi and Mita are, uh, throwing stuff at people again."

"Again? Geez I gonna have to have a chat with them!"

As soon as Mimi left, Hiei opened the window. He was fuming and glaring daggers at Kira. She laughed uncomfortably and backed toward the door slowly. When she reached the door she realized that he was no longer standing by the door.

"Kurama has a message for you," said Hiei from behind her, making her scream, and handed her a peice of paper before disappearing. Kira opened the note.

It read:

_Kira,_

_Tomorrow I would like you to come with me to meet an acquaintance of mine. _

_We will be traveling to the Demon Plane to meet him, but please do not be alarmed. _

_I will not allow any demons to harm you. I swear it. In any case, please meet me _

_at the park after class._

_Sincerely,_

_Kurama_

Kira put the note in her school bag and sighed. Who in the Demon Plane could possibly want to see her, and why?

* * *

**Sorry I know the chapter kinda sucks but I promise it'll get better! Don't forget to review and comment! Thanks! Chapter three coming soon! **


	3. Kira Captured!

**Hooray! I finally got to write chapter three! It's been so busy lately, with all the cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping afterwards, I haven't been able to write! And let me tell you, writer's block is no help either! But I'm sure you already knew that! And in case you're wondering, yes I am very hyper! I had lots of sugar! Sugar....*raids candy jar* Oh and I have to thank Amanda Fair for her fantastic review! Thanks bunches, Amanda! Anyway, Enjoy Chapter 3! :D**

**Chapter 3: Kira--Captured!**

Kira looked around the park warily as she waited for Kurama. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but she couldn't help but feel anxious and uneasy. Something felt...off. Like something _bad_ was about to happen.

"Is everything all right, Miss Lunada?" Kurama asked noticing the anxious look on her face. Kira jumped slightly when he spoke from behind her.

"You startled me!" she gasped. "Yes, I'm fine, and please, call me Kira."

"I apologize," he replied as he took her hand. "Are you ready?"

Kira nodded, blushing slightly as he held her hand.

_I bet the girls at school only dream of holding his hand!_

A portal appeared in front of them and Kurama pulled her forward. Feeling her resist slightly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Do not be afraid," he said soothingly. "I'll protect you."

Kira nodded, unable to speak as they landed in the middle of a large forest. She looked up at the perpetually stormy sky and noticed a city in the distance.

"Is that where we are going?" she asked tensely.

"Yes, it's the city of Gandara," he replied. "Let's hurry. He's not very patient."

"Who?"

"You'll see."

Kira sighed and followed him through the underbrush. She didn't like this place, with all the lowly demons that kept staring at her. And to be honest, she didn't know if they stared at her because they wanted to eat her or because she was very pretty. At least that's what some of the guys at school told her. Either way, it didn't matter because they knew she wasn't human. She, too, knew this, but she also did not know what she was. In fact, Kira didn't even remember her own parents or where she came from. Thinking on this fact, Kira sighed.

"Is something the matter?" Kurama asked noticing her troubled expression.

"It's just that..." Kira sighed. "Well, I've never told anyone this, but...I...I don't remember my past. Hell, I don't even remember my parents."

"You don't remember?" he asked softly. "Kira, would this mean that you do not know what you are?"

"Yeah..." she said slowly. "Why? Do you know what I am?"

"No...I'm sorry," he said apologetically. Though the way he said it made Kira suspicious.

_He's hiding something. But what and why?_

Kira said nothing, but continued to follow him.

After about an hour of hiking, they reached the edge of the city. A small group of soldiers were waiting for them. Some of them had evil grins on their faces as they muttered amongst themselves and looked at Kira. She shivered and moved closer to Kurama.

"Sir, our Lord is waiting for the both of you," said one of the soldiers who seemed to be in command of the others.

"Yes, of course," Kurama replied politely. "Let's go, Kira."

But Kira stood her ground and did not move.

"I don't want to," said Kira in a frightened tone. "I'm scared. I want to go home." She stood shaking as tears filled her eyes.

"If you refuse to come, then--" the commanding soldier started but was interrupted by Kurama. He held his hand out in front of the soldier to stop him from approaching Kira.

"Stop," he said coldly to the soldier, a deadly glare in his brillant emerald eyes. "You will only succeed in frightening her more."

"But, sir," the soldier protested, "we have orders to--"

"Silence!" Kurama whispered so only the soldier could hear, "I will deal with her. Now, stand down."

_I don't understand. Why are the soldiers listening to him? He shouldn't have any command over them!_

Kurama turned to Kira with a gentle a smile that made her gasp. This was the first time she had ever seen him smile. Now she knew why the other girls followed him around all the time.

"Kira," he said softly, "I promise, everything will be okay. You trust me, right?"

"Yes," she replied timidly. "but I don't like these demon soldiers. They're scaring me. I keep getting this sense of foreboding around them."

"I'm sorry, Kira, but they have to take us to the palace. Otherwise, we won't be able to enter."

"All...all right."

Kurama smiled again and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, leading her in the direction of the castle. Kira reluctantly began to walk, though if she tried not to walk too much she was going to bust her face again.

* * *

Kira and Kurama sat in small conference room as they waited for whoever it was they were waiting for. Kurama sat patiently while Kira fiddled with her shirt anxiously. Suddenly, the door slid open and two soldiers and Lord Yomi walked in.

"Hello, Kurama," said Lord Yomi as his seat in front of the both of them. "It's been a while." Yomi then turned to Kira. "Ah, you must be Kira. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Likewise," she said timidly.

"Kira, this is Lord Yomi," said Kurama gently. "He wants you to help him find the Angel's Tear."

Kira seemed taken aback by this.

"You...you're the one who sent those demons after me!" she shouted in an alarmed tone.

"Yes," said Lord Yomi with a slight frown. "I apologize but I thought it would be the only way to get you here."

"Just listen to what he has to say," said Kurama calmly as she tried to stand up. Kira sighed and nodded, taking her seat again.

"What...is the Angel's Tear?" she asked quietly.

"It is an amulet," explained Yomi, "said to contain immense power. It was created by beings known as Phoenixes."

"Phoenixes?" she asked somewhat concerned. "The immortal fire bird? The ones said to possess the ability to control fire and heal any wound?"

"Yes," Yomi continued. "After a couple centuries, they began to take the form of humans. Anyway, it is said that only one Phoenix could control the amulet's power."

"Who?" asked Kira now slightly interested in the story.

"The white phoenix," he replied. "Only one was ever born. It was young girl born to the royal family."

"How do you know all this?" said Kira suspiciously. "This had to have happened long before you were born."

"That is beside the point," said Yomi with a frightening scowl. "The point is I need you to help me find the Angel's Tear."

"Why me?" she asked.

"You are very special, Kira," he replied with a wicked grin.

"And what if I say no?" she asked standing up and preparing to walk out.

"Kira, don't-," started Kurama but she interrupted him.

"I'm sorry, Kurama," she said, "but I refuse to help a demon who tried to kidnap me. And he obviously wants the amulet for his own selfish gain. Besides, there are a lot of things I don't understand, like why he would even want the amulet if he needs the girl to control it!"

"I thought you would say that," said Yomi standing. "Guards, seize her!"

The two guards grabbed her arms and held her fast. A blonde-haired, white-eared/tailed cat demon entered the room, carrying a syringe filled with a dark red fluid. She had the most unusual eyes. One was purple and the other was green. She wore a black lab coat over a black top with a cross on it and a red plaid skirt with a black, spiked belt.

"Let go of me!" Kira screamed as she struggled to break free from the guards' grasp. The cat demon pulled up Kira's sleeve on her left arm and was about to inject the fluid. But Kira turned and bit her hand. The cat demon pulled back with a yelp and dropped the syringe. She glared coldly at Kira as she raked her claws across her cheek. Kira cried out as blood ran down her face. But she quickly regained her composure and stomped on one guard's foot and elbowed the other in the chest, causing them to release her. But the cat demon had grabbed the syringe off the floor and plunged it into Kira's shoulder before she could get very far.

Kira stumbled as her vision blurred, seconds later, fell to the ground. She tried to get up but found that she couldn't move.

_No...this can't...can't be...happening..._

The last thing Kira saw before her consciousness faded into darkness was Kurama standing in front of her, not trying to help her.

* * *

**Well that's it for this Chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! Don't forget to review! Thanks!**

**~Snowy**


	4. Betrayal

**Ok, so, I thought I'd give a little info on the newest character in the story, the cat demon. Her name is Avalin and she is my best friend's character. She insisted that I put her in the story and I just couldn't refuse! If you wanna know more about her, you'll just have to keep reading! ;P Anyway, I hope you enjoy this Chapter! And I'm really sorry it took so long to update!**

**~Snowy**

**Chapter 4: Betrayal**

Kira's vision was foggy when she awoke several hours later. Her head was pounding, and she couldn't think straight, either. Though she couldn't see well, she could just make out that she was in a large cell of some-sort. The walls were painted snow-white and the floor was made of stone. There was a small wooden table and chair across the room beneath a small, barred window. She lay on a medium-sized bed, covered in gray-blue sheets. Both her wrists were chained to the metal frame behind her head.

She heard the lock on the door click before it swung open. A blonde-haired, purple-eyed cat demon stepped inside. Kira quickly shut her eyes and slowed her breathing. But she didn't fool the cat demon.

"Open your eyes!" she snapped stalking up to the bed. "I know you're awake."

Kira opened her eyes reluctantly and looked up with a little fear in her eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly.

"That's none of your concern," the cat demon said coldly. "Besides, you're just a lab rat. So, shut up and cooperate."

_Lab rat...? _Kira thought worriedly.

"Avalin!" snapped Kurama as he stepped into the cell. "Do not speak to her in that tone. You know that she is not just a lab rat. Now I believe you were told to start the glucose blood tests."

Kurama was wearing a uniform, making him seem as if he were someone in charge. But...that couldn't be right...could it?

"Yes, sir," said Avalin, trying to hold back the sarcastic tone. She pulled a small bottle of clear liquid from her lab coat pocket.

"Drink it," she said calmly as she held the bottle to Kira's lips.

Kira looked over at Kurama. He nodded with a slightly sad expression on his face. Reluctantly, she swallowed the nasty fluid. It was really thick and horribly sweet, like really bad cheesecake. Or the eggnog that your two year old sister put an entire bag of sugar into. Either way, it was awful. Kira choked when she finished swallowing it.

"I'll be back in a couple hours," said Avalin sharply before leaving.

Kurama took a key from his pocket and unlocked the cuffs around Kira's wrists so she could get up.

"Kurama..." said Kira in a frightened tone. "What's going on? Why did Avalin call me a lab rat?"

"I'm so sorry, Kira," he said quietly. "Lord Yomi...needs you in order to find the Angel's tear. But because you refused to help him willingly, he's now going to try to control you to find and use it. And to control you, his research team is going to study you through various tests and experiments to find out your strengths and weaknesses.

"But...why me?!" she cried. "There's nothing special about me. I mean, sure I have these strange powers...but I don't even know how to control them! I'm not even strong!"

"Kira, you _are _special. More than you can even imagine."

"What...are you _talking_ about?! I was just an ordinary girl up until a few days ago!"

"You don't understand because you don't know about your past."

"Then help me understand! Please, tell me what I don't know or can't remember!"

"I'm sorry, Kira. But I honestly don't know that much myself. But I can say this: Yomi needs you to control the amulet."

Kira bowed her head, her hair hiding her eyes. Tears began to fall from her cheeks and it took Kurama a minute or so to realize that she was crying.

"What's troubling you?" he asked with kind concern.

She looked up at him, sorrow and hurt filling her eyes.

"Why...? Why did you just stand by while Yomi kidnapped me? Why didn't you stop him?! I thought...I thought you were my friend!!!"

"Kira...I...I'm sorry! I couldn't....couldn't stop him."

"Why not?! Friends don't let friends get hurt!"

"Kira...you don't understand...You see, I...I work for Yomi."

Kira just sat there in shock for several minutes.

"I am so sorry, Kira...But I brought you here knowing full well that you wouldn't be leaving. I was ordered to bring you here. I didn't want to...not after I got to know you a little bit."

Kira clenched her fists around the bed sheets in pain and anger.

"I can't...I can't believe I trusted you. I should have known from the moment you saved me that you were working for Yomi."

Before Kurama could say anymore, Avalin reentered the cell carrying a Vacutainer and several blood tubes. When Kira saw the Vacutainer she began to panic and unknowingly formed a fireball in her hand.

"Kira," said Kurama slowly. "Calm down and get rid of the fire ball. Everything is ok."

Kurama then turned back to Avalin and whispered for her to go get a fire extinguisher. She was gone and back in a flash.

Before Kira had time to react, Avalin sprayed her with the fire extinguisher knocking Kira back on to the bed. Kurama took advantage of Kira's momentary shock and pinned her to the bed.

"Hold her arm out," said Avalin as she opened an alcohol pad.

"Let go of me!" she cried. "You're hurting me!"

Avalin cleaned the area where she was going to draw blood and stuck the needle into a vein. Kira yelped and buried her head into the crook of Kurama's arm. When Avalin was finally done drawing blood, after having taken at least ten vials, Kurama slowly let Kira sit up. But she was furious now. She slapped Kurama hard across his face, knocking him backwards about a foot or so. Avalin was about to hit her, but Kurama held her back, knowing that he'd deserved it.

"Don't," he said. "You'll only make it worse."

Avalin mumble something to herself and left the cell quietly.

"Kira, I-"

"Go away!" she snapped, trying to fight back the tears. "I...I don't want to see you ever again!"

"But-"

"I said _go_!"

Kurama sighed and slowly walked to the door, only stopping for a moment.

"Please...forgive me."

With that, the door snapped shut, the lock clicking behind him. It was at that moment Kira buried her head in the pillow and cried. Once her pain had dulled, she was finally able to drift into an uneasy sleep.


	5. Day One

****

**Hey, everybody! Snowy here! I hope you all are enjoying "The Hunt for the White Phoenix"! And please don't forget to leave a review! Anyway, I hope you like this chapter!**

**~Snowy**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Day One**

When Kira awoke the next morning, she found that she had a metal shock collar around her neck. When she tried to pull it off, it automatically delivered a painful shock that coursed through her body. After getting knocked to the floor, she dusted herself off, cursing quietly as she sat on the bed. She looked out the small window of her cell, but she couldn't tell if was day or night because the sky remained dark and stormy as it had when she first arrived.

An hour later, Kira heard the lock on her door click. Bracing herself for a fight, her body tensed as she stood quietly. A young looking demon entered the cell carrying a pair of light gray-blue clothes.

"I ask that you change into these," the demon said. "I'll return in a moment to take you to the lab."

_What do they want with me? I don't know anything about this Angel's Tear thing... I don't understand. Why me?_

Kira shuddered slightly when the demon returned. He said nothing but motioned for her to follow him. Hesitantly, she walked silently behind him as she followed him to the end of the hall. The demon researcher opened the door to the lab and shoved her inside. Yomi stood next to what appeared to be a large tank of water as he oversaw its preparation. Kurama leaned against the back wall, only showing the slightest emotion when Kira stumbled into the room.

"Lord Yomi," said Avalin, who had just put the finishing touches on the tank, "we're ready to begin."

"Excellent," he said. "Proceed."

Avalin snapped her fingers and two of her lab assistants roughly grabbed Kira, dragging her over to the tank. They then opened the air tight door on the front of the tank and pushed Kira inside. Metal chains automatically clasped around her arms and legs, restraining her from trying to break the glass.

"What's going on?" Kira asked, panicking slightly.

"We're conducting an experiment to see how much stamina you have in various situations," said Avalin in a cruel tone.

"In other words," said Yomi. "we want to know how well you can handle any given situation that may arise in a battle."

"B-battle? What are you-?" Kira started to ask but was interrupted by Yomi.

"Enough!" he said sharply. "Avalin, begin the experiment."

"Yes, sir!" said Avalin before rushing over to a set of controls several feet away. With the push of a button, ice cold water began pouring into the glass tank. Kira gasped in pain the moment the freezing water touched her skin. But it didn't feel cold. Instead it felt burning hot, like acid were being poured all over her. She cried out in pain before the water engulfed her.

_I-i-it burns! _Kira thought just before the water reached the top of the tank. She struggled to break the chains, but it only tired her out more. The only thing she could do was hold her breath for as long as she could. But after about eight minutes, Kira let the peace of unconsciousness consume her. The next thing she knew, someone was calling her name.

"Kira...Kira can you hear me?" said a familiar voice.

Kira opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the man standing before her.

"Shui...chi?" she managed to ask through the haze in her mind.

"Yes, I am here," he said in a soothing tone.

"What are _you _doing here?" Kira snapped, anger welling up inside her. "Go away!"

"Kira, I'm sorry! I had to-" he said in an attempt to apologize for getting her into this mess.

"I said '_Go away!_'" she shouted as she sat up suddenly to push him away. But when she did, a searing pain shot through arms and legs.

Kira collapsed to the bed once more and whimpered into her small pillow.

"Kira, are your wounds hurting?" Kurama asked kneeling beside her bed.

"H-huh?" she asked slightly stunned just as she realized her limbs were bandaged tightly in white gauze and cloth. "Wha...what happened to me?"

Kurama shifted uncomfortably, looking down.

"You have burns on your arms and legs. They probably don't hurt much now but that's only because they are fresh wounds. Avalin found them when she pulled you from the water tank. They're pretty serious."

"From...water?"

"So it would seem...But listen Kira...Yomi will be coming shortly to check in on you. When he does please don't do anything that could get you punished."

"Since when do you care?" Kira said sharply as anger began to burn inside her once more. "You were the one who dragged me into this mess!"

Before Kurama could respond, Yomi entered her cell followed by Avalin and two of her assistants, one of whom was pushing a tray of vials full of different colored liquids.

"How is she, Kurama?"

"She's in a bit of pain," he replied, giving Kira a sideways glance. "May I ask what those vials are for?"

"As you know," explained Avalin, "the Demon plane is full of poisonous demons. Each of these vials contains a poison and a corresponding antidote for each creature."

"We need to increase Kira's immunity against these poisons," said Yomi. "You and I both know Mukuro's army is full of those demons. If it comes down to a fight with her, I can't have Kira getting weak from the poison."

"But, sir," Kurama began to argue. "Perhaps you should wait to test the poisons tomorrow. She's hurt pret-"

"I'm well aware of her injuries, Kurama," Yomi snapped. "Avalin, if you would."

"Yes, sir."

Avalin looked over the tray of vials for a moment and selected one full of a light purple liquid. As she filled a syringe, Kira jumped off the bed, despite the protesting from her body, and tried to escape to the other side of the cell. But Kurama was too fast; in a flash he had grabbed Kira's arm, swung her around, and used his arm to pin her to the wall.

"What did I just say?" he snapped in a hushed voice so only she could hear. "You going to make it worse for you!"

"Hold her," said Yomi from behind, as Avalin lifted Kira's sleeve. Kurama adjusted Kira so that he could wrap his arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides.

Kira's heart skipped a beat. Why did she feel like this? She knew she should hate him, but could not bring herself to do so. Avalin pulled the stabbed the needle into her arm through Kira's bandages. She yelped and buried her face into Kurama's shoulder and sobbed as the poison was slowly injected into her skin. Her knees turned to jelly beneath her as the poison quickly took effect. Kurama carefully laid her on the bed and shot a glare at Yomi.


	6. EnterThe Reiki Tentai

**Hey Everybody! Snowy here. Sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter going. v.v; But I hope you enjoy it none the less! Oh and I would also like to send a shout out to an anonymous reviewer who has given me a lot of good feed back! Thanks so much! I look forward to everyone's reviews!**

**~****Snowy**

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**Chapter 6: Enter-The Reiki Tentai**

Kira lay in her small, glass-walled cell, gasping for air. It had been two days since Avalin had injected her with the poison and it had really begun to take its toll on her body. Aside from being unable to breathe and terrible fever, the poison had stopped Kira's burns from beginning to heal.

"Get me an oxygen mask!" Avalin snapped at her assistant. "And be quick about it!"

Just as she was putting the oxygen mask over Kira's face, Lord Yomi walked into the dungeon. Avalin immediately stopped and bowed respectfully.

"How long has she been like this?" Yomi asked frowning impatiently.

"Since yesterday, sir," Avalin replied as she took Kira's pulse.

"Give her the antidote," he growled. "We can't afford to wait for her body to fight it off as planned. I've just been informed by Youda that Mukuro has started training her soldiers."

"Yes, my Lord," she said scurried out of the cell to the lab.

While Avalin was out, Yomi slipped a small syringe from his pocket. The needle was so small that Kira didn't feel it when he injected the light sea green fluid into her neck.

"This will trigger your transformation," Yomi muttered in her ear as Avalin returned from her adventure to the lab.

Avalin injected the antidote just as Yomi walked out of the cell.

About a day or so later, Kira was back to normal. Well, as normal as possible for a lab rat anyway. No one had come to check in on her, but she never let her guard down. She knew that at any moment, Avalin, or worse, Kurama could come for her. For the longest time, she sat cradling her knees on her bed, wondering when, or if, she was going to get out of here.

It wasn't so bad being locked in a cell, at least when she was not being poked and prodded by researchers. But perhaps, the worst of it all was the loneliness Kira felt. She missed being at school, sleeping in her own comfy, soft bed, laughing at Mimi for blowing up the Chem lab or burning something in Home Ec.

While she was lost in her thoughts, Kurama had come to bring some food for her, since she hadn't eaten in nearly three days.

"Hello, Kira," He said with a friendly smile. But Kira just scowled at him.

"What do you want?" she said with a glare. "What part of 'Leave me alone' don't you understand?"

"I...brought you some food," he replied. "I thought you might be hungry."

"Well, I'm not," she growled. "So just...leave."

"Kira," he sighed. "I can't leave. You have to eat, or Yomi will have my head."

"Like I care," she snapped. "After what you did, you deserve it."

"Kira, please," he pleaded. "I know you are angry with me, but not eating is only hurting yourself."

"Oh, really?" she said. "I know very well that those researchers can't do a thing to me if they know I can't handle it."

"If you refuse to eat," he said calmly, but there was a chilly tone to his voice, "I will have to resort to force. So, please, just eat."

But Kira ignored his threat completely, mostly because she had become really angry. The air around her was starting to increase in temperature and her eye color had turned from sapphire blue to a fierce gold.

"Go. Now." she said. Her face showed no emotion.

* * *

"Yusuke! Yusuke!" Botan called from the top of the school roof. She had been looking around the school for nearly an hour, trying to give Yusuke his new mission. She finally found him, laying above the door, napping. Botan took a deep breath and shouted "YUSUKE!"

Yusuke fell off the staircase roof and landed face first into the ground.

"What the hell was that for, Botan?" Yusuke snarled clutching his nose.

"I've been looking for you," she said, hands on her hips. "I have you're next assignment."

"Aw, c'mon," he whined. "I just got done fighting Sensui. When do I get a break?"

"You don't get one," said Botan. "Not until you rescue this girl." She reached into her shirt and pulled out a small photograph.

"Who's this?" he asked focusing on the picture of the brown haired girl. "She's..."

"Pretty?" offered Botan. "Yes, well, that's because of what she is."

"Which would be...?" Yusuke rudely interrupted. " She's not a demon is she? She doesn't look like it."

"Oh, would you be quiet and listen?" Botan snapped. "No, she's not a demon. Her name is Kira Lunada and she's a phoenix. A white phoenix to be exact."

Yusuke looked at Botan with a dumbstruck expression.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Yusuuke, "back up here. You mean to tell me that this girl is a mythical creature?"

"Well, I don't think mythical really applies here," said Botan laughing slightly. "But, yes, she is a phoenix. Sadly, however, she's the only one in existence. The other's were killed off."

"Wait a minute," said Yusuke. "I thought phoenixes where immortal. So how could she be 'the only one in existence'?"

"Well," said Botan thoughtfully, "they are in a way, I guess. I mean they don't die of old age or illness. They can be killed, but by only two methods, as far as we know anyway."

"And they would be...?" Yusuke said impatiently.

"I really don't know," said Botan. "In fact, no one but the phoenixes do. Or at least now anyway. I don't know if whoever destroyed the small kingdom is still alive. We do know, however, that the reason the kingdom was destroyed was because of Kira."

"Why?" Yusuke asked. "Did she do something wrong?"

"No, that's not it at all," said Botan. "I'll let Koenma fill you and the others in on the rest later."

"Right," Yusuke nodded. This seemed to be turning into an interesting case after all.

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**Sorry this chapter turned out to be so short! But hope everyone enjoyed it nonetheless. And keep reading, because Kira's past is soon to be revealed! Oh and please don't forget to review! Thanks again!**

**~Snowy**


	7. Mission Impossible

**Hey, guys! Snowy again! I hope you are all enjoying my first fanfiction! (Well on this site anyway. ^_~) And now, the newest installment of "The Hunt for the White Phoenix"! Enjoy! Oh and don't forget to review at the end! Thanks bunches! Oh and I know I only have to do this once but just as a friendly reminder I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's characters.**

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**Chapter 7: Mission Impossible**

When Kira started getting angry and letting it get the best of her, Avalin rushed out of the dungeon in search of Lord Yomi. Neither she nor Kurama had the power to subdue Kira in such a state and only Yomi would be able to stop her. Not necessarily through brute strength, mind you, but out of fear. She knew Kira was down right mortified by him. Finally, after searching for what seemed like hours, Avalin found Yomi in a meeting with his advisors, except for Kurama who was kind of tied up at the moment.

Avalin opened the door slightly, and tapped one of the guards on the shoulder. In response, he bent down and Avalin whispered something in his ear. He nodded and quietly walked up to Lord Yomi's seat.

"Sir," he whispered. "Avalin wishes to speak with you for a moment."

Yomi nodded and said to his advisors, "Would you excuse me for a moment?" He bowed slightly, and stepped out the door, shutting it quietly behind him.

"What is it, Avalin?" He said, frowning slightly at the intrusion.

"Well, sir," said Avalin in a slightly nervous tone, "Kira is furious! I can't get close enough to tranquilize her because of the heat she's giving off and Kurama's plants are useless!"

Yomi said nothing as he strode away to the dungeons, Avalin following close behind. Quickly punching in the code to open Kira's cell door, he stormed inside, bringing Kira to her senses. She flinched as the Yomi grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off her feet, the air instantly returning to normal.

"Insolent child!" He yelled as he threw her against the wall. Kira yelped when she hit the wall but managed to avoid getting hurt by covering her head with her arms. "How dare you-" Yomi raised his hand to strike her across the face but Kurama had grabbed his arm.

"Please, sir," Kurama said respectfully, "Do not punish her. It was not her fault, it was mine. I provoked her anger."

Yomi looked at him carefully. "Very well. Avalin, take Kira to the lab. She's well enough to start testing again."

* * *

"Kuwabara!" said Yusuke as he entered Koenma's office. "What are you doing here?" Kuwabara was waiting at the far end, next to Koenma's desk. He looked over at him and frowned.

"Whaddaya mean 'what am I doing here', Urameshi?" Kuwabara grumbled. "I'm a Spirit Detective, too, you know."

"It's about time you showed up!" snapped Koenma. "You're late!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said Yusuke muttered. "What's this mission?"

Koenma cleared his throat roughly and said, "As I was about to say, please turn your attention to the screen behind you."

A picture of a girl about their age, with shimmering blue eyes blipped onto the screen. She wore a white kimono with golden cranes decorating the bottom and sleeves. Her dark brown hair was partially pulled back into a braid and a gold band wrapped around her head.

"Whoa!" Kuwabara drooled, "who's the babe?"

Yusuke kicked Kuwabara in the shins.

"Ouch! Urameshi, what the hell was that for?"

"You know what that was for! You are such a pig!"

"Oh, don't gimme that crap Urameshi, we all know you're no better!"

"Enough!" shouted Koenma rubbing his temples. "Time is of the essence. The girl you see here is named Kira Lunada. She was once the heir to the throne of a Phoenix kingdom."

"Botan already told me who she was," said Yusuke, "but I wanna know why she is the only one left."

Koenma thought for a moment and said, "It's a complicated question. I only know part of the story since there were very, very few witnesses and, obviously, only one survivor. And you must understand that many of the facts I was given have been distorted with time."

"Ok, ok, ok!" snapped Yusuke. "Will you just tell us what you know?"

"Oh, be quiet!" said Koenma rolling his eyes. "As I was about to say..." He shot a nasty look at Yusuke, "It happened about a millennium ago, during a celebration. What that celebration was I could not say, but supposedly the Phoenixes held a two day celebration starting the very last day of winter and ending the first day of spring. Anyway, as you can imagine, their celebration did not end well. A group of demons, who were after the young Princess Kira, attacked the palace where the entire kingdom had gathered. Every last phoenix was killed in the massacre, except Kira. No one knows how she managed to escape, especially since she was so young. Some say she was not at the party, while others say someone helped her get away."

Kuwabara looked at Koenma, curiosity burning in his eyes.

"I don't understand," said Kuwabara, "why were they after her? Why did the demons kill everyone else?"

"Kira houses unbelievable power. She is as powerful, if not more powerful than the strongest demon in the Makai. In theory, she could obliterate every living thing on the planet. But the Phoenixes were gentle by nature, and Kira is no exception. Therefore, the only possible way for her to do even remotely that much damage is through force. As for your other question, I really don't why the demons killed the others."

A moment's silence passed before anyone spoke.

"Is anyone else coming on this rescue mission?" Yusuke asked.

"Hiei will willingly be accompanying you," said Botan.

"What'd you do? Bribe him with a year's supply of strawberry sweet snow?" joked Kuwabara.

"What about Kurama?" asked Yusuke ignoring Kuwabara. "Isn't he coming?"

Botan and Koenma exchanged uneasy looks.

"He...won't be helping you," muttered Botan.

"Why not?" asked Kuwabara. "He's the brains of our team!"

"Because," sighed Koenma, "Kurama is working for Yomi."

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**Well that's it for chapter 7! Stay tuned cuz Chapter 8 is on its way! And don't forget to review! Please and thank you~ Oh and just out of curiousity, can anyone tell me where Hiei's obsession with sweet snow came from? Because whoever thought of it was a freaking genius. Anywho, ta ta for now! **


	8. Temporary Freedom Part One

**Hey everybody! Sorry I've been gone so long. A LOT has happened. Anyway, I'm back and I hope you're ready for Chapter 8!**

**~Snowy**

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**Chapter 8: Temporary Freedom (Part One)**

Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei followed Botan to the other end of the palace where a portal to the Demon Plane was waiting for them. An ominous breeze blew from it, causing the team to tense a bit. Would they be able to rescue the girl? Or would they simply perish at the hands Yomi, or worse- Kurama? Either way, they knew this would not be an easy mission. But, then again, when were they ever easy? Botan stopped and turned to them.

"Ok, guys," she said with a hint of unease. "Kira is located on the 25th floor. The windows are barred on all levels, so..."

"So...what?" said Kuwabara with a stupid expression.

"She means the only way in is through the front door, baka," Hiei said in his usual sharp tone.

"Why I outta-!"

"Stop it, you two!" snapped Yusuke irritably. "Now is not the time to be fighting."

Botan handed each of them a strange brace that almost resembled a gauntlet. "These will help you get into the palace. They're a form of cloaking device." She hit a blue button on Kuwabara's cloak-er, instantly transforming him into one of Yomi's soldiers. Yusuke shouted in surprise and Hiei attempted to hide his own. "As you can see, it will disguise you as a soldier. However...there is a one hour time limit. Once that time runs out, you'll revert to your normal appearance, and well...you know what would happen.

The three remain silent, knowing full well that if they did not rescue Kira in that one hour, their lives would probably be forfeit. They nodded and one by one they leapt into the portal...

* * *

Kira stood at the entrance to a huge maze. Blood dripped steadily to floor from a gash on her arm that she'd received from a trap in one of the previous mazes. She was already exhausted and breathing hard from the previous run when she heard the buzzer go off. A shove from behind sent her stumbling to a run into the maze. Kira didn't know if she would even make it to the end of the maze alive. Though in a way, she hoped she didn't. There was a small part of her that just wanted to collapse and let herself be impaled by a spear or arrows fired at sonic speed. At least it would end this hellish nightmare. But Kira kept running, dodging pits with spikes at the bottom, dead ends, and even lightning bolts jumping between the walls. Finally after what seemed like hours or running, the end was in sight. However, just a she was twenty feet or so from the exit, a dagger shot out of the wall to her left, embedding itself in her side before she even had a chance to dodge. With a sharp yelp of pain, Kira fell and slid a few feet toward the end.

Kurama stood at the window above the maze, watching with a pained expression. Lord Yomi had left for a few days on business, leaving him in charge, but he could not stop the tests on Kira. All he could do was keep them to a minimum, or at least try to do so. But there wasn't much he could do. For a second-in-command, he sure was powerless.

A few scientists carried a blood-soaked Kira from the maze. They brought her into the small room and laid her on the table. Kurama rushed over to her and carefully pulled the dagger out. He tore the side of her gown and brushed a bit of poultice he'd prepared earlier on the wound. He quickly covered the deep cut with a piece of guaze and wrapped Ace-wrap around it and her waist to keep pressure on the wound. To his surprise, Kira did not resist him while he bandaged her. Instead, she lay there on the table, keeping as still as possible, taking deep, shaky breaths. Even if she wanted to resist, she couldn't. She was just too exhausted.

Avalin was preparing to set up another maze when Kurama turned to her and said, "That's enough for today. Take her back to her cell and let her rest." With a snap of her fingers, Avalin and two of her assistants lifted Kira onto a stretcher and proceeded out of the lab.

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"Ok," said Yusuke to the other two while they hide in an alley near Yomi's stronghold. "Let's go!"

All at the same time, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei hit the button on their cloaking devices and changed into soldiers. They waited for a moment before leaving alley to make sure their equipment was working properly, and then walked up to the front gate. The two guards standing there saluted the three of them and opened the gate to let them in. Once inside, they looked at each other and laughed briefly before proceeding to the elevators. Several soldiers saluted them and let them pass without question as the trio boarded an empty elevator.

"So far, so good," said Kuwabara once the doors had closed.

Yusuke elbowed Kuwabara in the side, making him jump from the pain. He glared at Yusuke and growled, "Why'd you do that?"

"Don't jinx it," Yusuke snapped quietly. He then looked at Hiei and said, "How much time do we have left?"

Hiei looked down at the device's timer. "About fourty minutes, and from the looks of it," - he looked up as the elevator stopped on the 10th floor- "it's going to take us about twenty minutes to get there."

"Huh?" questioned Kuwabara. "Why?"

"Hn. Because, it seems we're going to be making a lot of stops," he replied as a group of soldiers and what appeared to be some researchers stepped onto the elevator. It took them another 20 minutes to get to the twenty-fifth floor. When they stepped off the elevator, Hiei looked at the clock on his device.

"We're running out of time," he said with indifference. "We have to hurry."

Walking quickly, they searched the prison area for Kira's cell. When they reached the end of the hall, they found that one of the cell doors was open. Two guards were standing watch, holding their guns at their sides. Yusuke approached them and said, "We're here to take watch."

The two guards nodded and left, leaving the trio, unaware that they were intruders. Yusuke peeked inside the door and that was when he saw her. Kira lay on the bed, soaked in her own crimson blood. Kurama knelt next to her, his fists clenched. Yusuke swallowed hard and then approached him. Both Kuwabara and Hiei tried stop him, but Yusuke just shrugged them off. Yusuke tapped on Kurama's shoulder.

"Hello, Yusuke," Kurama whispered quietly. Yusuke's eyes grew wide with surprise.

"How'd you know it was me?" Yusuke asked with a dumbfounded expression.

He gave Yusuke a sad smile. "You might mask your appearance, but you cannot mask your reiki from me."

"It seems the fox has a sharp nose," said Hiei as he and Kuwabara entered the cell.

Kurama looked at his teammates, studying them silently. "I need your help."

It was at that moment that an alarm sounded on the trio's devices. Five minutes left.

"Make it quick, fox," said Hiei. "We're nearly out of time."

Kurama pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the chains that restrained Kira. "Get her out of here."

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**Sorry this chapter was kinda lame...I hope you guys liked it though. I'll have Chapter 9 up as soon as I can! Oh don't forget to Review! Please and thank you!**

**~ Snowy**


	9. Temporary Freedom Part Two

**I'm so glad everyone liked chapter 8. Now I can finally begin chapter 9! :D Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter too.**

**~Snowy**

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**Chapter 9: Temporary Freedom (Part 2)**

Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged confused looks, while Hiei grinned knowingly.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Yusuke asked as he carefully lifted Kira into his arms.

Kurama smiled slightly and said "Follow me." He led them to small room just down the hall from Kira's cell. Looking around, he unlocked the door and walked to the far end of the left-hand wall. He motioned for the rest of them to come over, as he lifted what appeared to be a hidden door.

"I built this when I first came here," Kurama explained. "I'm sure it seems strange to have a hidden passage all the way up here, but it actually runs parallel with the staircase. Only the few that helped me build this know it exists. Now go, I'll buy you some time."

One by one, they descended the staircase with Kira in tow. The passage was narrow, forcing them to proceed one at a time. This also forced Yusuke to walk sideways, otherwise, he would not have been able to take the unconscious girl with them.

After making it halfway down the tunnel, they heard an alarm sound and the pounding footsteps of soldiers. Hiei stopped the group with his hand when the footsteps grew louder. From what they could tell, there was only a few inches of wall between the tunnel and the staircase and just the slightest sound would give them away. They paused for a moment and waited for the footsteps to subside.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the group came to small trap door. Kuwabara shoved against it but could not get it to budge.

"It must not have been opened for quite some time," Hiei said as he took Kira from Yusuke.

It took several shoves from both Kuwabara and Yusuke before the door finally opened enough for them to slip through. But as soon as they stepped away from the door and rounded the corner, a group of soldiers surrounded them.

"Give us the girl!" one of them shouted.

"Over my dead body!" Yusuke retorted and took a stance, bracing for a fight.

"That can be arranged," said another.

The soldiers charged, but Yusuke nailed several of them before they got close. Kuwabara managed to slice a handful of them with his spirit swords and Hiei, despite carrying the still unconscious Kira in his arms, managed to wipe out several more with his prized katana. However, many more soldiers came to stop the trio from taking her. In just a few moments there were far too many warriors for just the three of them to fight off. They were closing in on the trio.

Then something strange happened. Kira's body began to glow a faint golden color and emit waves of energy. It almost seemed as if time had slowed down as the energy hit the soldiers. But strangely enough, Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara were unharmed.

Before anymore soldiers could try to stop them, a portal had opened behind them, courtesy of Botan. They leapt through it and disappeared into the Human Realm.

* * *

After a brief argument, it was decided that Kira would be taken to Genkai's temple to recover. It was a short trip, thanks to Botan's portal. When they arrived, they were greeted by Genkai, who quickly lead them to a room where Kira could be assessed. Genkai asked them to leave the room while she dressed Kira's injuries. The only person who followed Genkai into the room was Botan.

Botan laid Kira on the bed that was situated under a large, curtain-covered window. She held her up slightly so Genkai could peel away Kira's bloody clothes. What they found once the clothes wore removed was a terrible sight.

"Oh, my..." gasped a horror-struck Botan.

"She's definitely been through a lot," admitted Genkai.

Beneath Kira's clothes were large purple bruises and deep bloody gashes. She was so beat up that she almost did not look human. The only cut that was even remotely bandaged was the one on her side that Kurama had patched up. But the gauze was soaked in blood, and it seemed that the wound was still bleeding.

Without another word, Genkai and Botan both set out to heal as many wounds as they could. Genkai used her reiki to patch up the more serious injuries, while Botan used her white magic to get rid of the bruises. But despite their efforts, several of the injuries, for some reason, could not be mended. They would have to heal on their own.

They quickly patched up what could not be fixed with bandages and ointments and then changed her clothes. Kira slept for days and it wasn't until the sun rose on the fifth day of her stay at the temple that she woke. Botan was wiping Kira's forehead with a cool, damp cloth when she opened her eyes.

"Where...am I?" Kira said in a raspy voice. This made Botan jump in surprise.

"Oh, you're finally awake!" she said with a cheery smile. It was then that she realized that Kira was trembling. "It's ok! I won't hurt you. You're in Genkai's temple. You'll be safe here."

"How...how did...I...get here?" she asked weakly as she tried to relax. At this, Botan smiled.

"You were brought here," replied Botan. "Yusuke and company rescued you from Yomi's castle.

Kira looked at Botan with a confused expression. Who was this Yusuke person?

"I'd introduce you to them," she continued, "but they are outside doing a bit of training with the owner of this temple, Master Genkai. I can show you around until they're done, if you'd like? Oh, but I need to get you something more appropriate to wear. That night gown will not do!"

With that, Botan scampered out of the room and returned a few minutes later with a simple yukata. It was a pale turqoise with pink cherry blossoms adorning the lower portion of the sleeves and the bottom of the skirt. A pink obi, the same shade as the cherry blossoms, was tied around the waist. Once Botan had finished helping Kira change, the two made there way to the lobby. Botan showed Kira the kitchen, the bathrooms, the dining room, and a few of the bedrooms. There wasn't much inside the temple; it was fairly plain. Outside, however, was a completely different story. Groves of bamboo lined the back of the temple with a slender path leading through them. Beyond it was a beautiful Japanese garden, complete with a koi pond and maple and cherry trees. It was early spring and the cherry trees were in full bloom.

"Pretty, isn't it?" asked Botan.

"Yeah, it is," Kira replied in awe.

Suddenly, voices could be heard from inside and were approaching the garden. Kira tensed, and moments later, three people stepped out on to the wooden platform that ran along the edge of the temple.

"Hey, she's awake!" exclaimed Yusuke. "How are ya feelin'?

"Oh, hello, Yusuke," said Botan cheerily. "Kira, this is Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei. They rescued you from Yomi's castle."

Kira relaxed and said, "Pleased to meet you. Thank you so much for getting me out of that horrific place."

"No need to thank me," he said with a laugh. "It's my job."

"_Our _job," corrected Kuwabara.

"Be quiet, you oaf," said Hiei.

The two glared at each other, causing Yusuke to roll his eyes as he said, "Stop it, you two."

"So where's Master Genkai?" asked Botan.

"Oh, she's inside talking with Koenma," he replied with a shrug. "Anyway, I'm glad you're feeling better, Kira. But we should get inside and see what's up with Koenma."

The group made their way silently down the hall to the reception room, where Genkai and Koenma were having a serious discussion. They became silent when they entered the room.

"Hello, Kira," said Koenma. "I'm glad to see you that are up and about after such terrible injuries."

"Thank you," said Kira in a polite, yet confused tone. "How...do you know who I am?"

"My dear girl, of course I know who you are! I knew your parents...they were wonderful people."

"You...you knew my parents?" she gasped.

Koenma gave Botan a perplexed look. Botan returned the look with the same confusion.

"You mean, you don't remember?"

"I'm sorry, but...no. I don't remember anything before my seventh birthday. My earliest memory is that of waking up in a forest and some hikers finding me. They took me to the hospital, and I was placed in an orphanage. I left when I was fifteen and have been living on my own ever since."

"Oh, my," said Koenma, turning to Botan. "That must have been from when..."

"Yes, it must have been," Botan agreed.

"Please, if you know something about my past, please tell me!" Kira said desparately. "Please...I need to know who I am."

"I'm sorry," said Koenma, "but I don't know all that much. However, I can tell you what I do know."

Koenma motioned for Kira to sit on a cushion across from him, next to Genkai.

"I suppose I should begin with your parents. You were born to the ruling family of a certain clan. They were...the Phoenixes, the legendary birds of fire."


	10. Past and Present

**Hi, everybody! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 9! Now get ready for Chapter 10! Yay!**

**~Snowy**

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**Chapter Ten: Past and Present**

"I'm...I'm a phoenix?" Kira said slowly.

"Indeed," said Koenma. "You are the daughter of Lord Rikku and Lady Shinari. You are a princess, if you will."

As if reading Kira's thoughts, Koenma continued, "I do not know why Lord Yomi is after you, aside from the fact that you are a phoenix."

"Are...are there others like me?" she asked carefully.

Botan and Koenma exchanged solemn looks. Koenma looked down and Botan bowed her head before looking to Kira.

"I'm afraid there are not," she replied. "You are the last of your kind."

"I see..." Kira said with a hint of sadness in her voice. "Can you tell me...what happened?"

"There was...a tragedy," Koenma said. "Your mother and father were hosting a ball to celebrate your seventh birthday. But...a group of demon's attacked, killing every last phoenix. Except you, that is. We're not sure how you survived and managed to escape to the Human Realm. However, we do know that they were after something called the Angel's Tear."

"Yomi asked me where it was!" Kira exclaimed. "He asked me to help him find it! And...he wanted me to use it. But he said that only a specific phoenix could wield the Angel's Tear. But...why me?"

Genkai turned to Koenma, as if asking a silent question, who nodded in response, and Genkai left the room.

"I think there's one person who can answer that question."

Kira turned to peer at the door. It slid open and, to her dismay, Kurama walked in. Instantly, she scrambled to the other side of the table, as though it would provide some shelter should Kurama decide to attack.

"You!" she snapped. "What are _you _doing here? Come to take me back?"

"Kira, I-" Kurama started to say, but was interrupted by Kira.

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" she exclaimed as tears welled up in her eyes. "I-I trusted you!"

"I know, I'm sorry!" he said as he took a half-step toward her.

"Stay bac-!" A sharp, searing pain in Kira's back had stopped her mid-word. She let out a short, terrible scream as she collapsed to her knees.

"What's the matter?" asked Botan as she and Koenma rushed to her side.

"I d-don't kno-ack!" she gasped through waves of pain. "It f-feels like...ngh...like something is...trying to rip through my b-b-back...!"

"Kira, are you-!" Kurama asked worriedly as he tried to approach her yet again.

"Stay _away _from m-me!" Kira snapped, almost half-heartedly. The pain was really starting to take its toll. And then, it happened. A ripping sound filled the air as Kira shrieked in agony. Blood splattered the ground as enormous red-colored wings almost quite literally erupted from her back. Botan screamed in terror. Koenma jumped back. Only Kurama instantly went to her side. Kira would have hit her head on the table if Kurama hadn't caught her, as she had fallen unconscious the moment the wings had burst from her. As Kurama caught her, he noticed a half-faded mark on the back of Kira's neck.

* * *

Kira lay sleeping on her bed while Kurama watched over her from a recliner chair situated in the far corner of the room. He'd wanted to sit nearer to her but had decided it unwise. Kurama had been allowed to see her after Botan and Genkai had cleaned her up. They'd washed the blood from Kira's body but had left her back unbandaged. It had seemed that the area where the wings had burst from her back had healed not long after they had torn the flesh. This made it appear as if the wings were a natural part of her body.

Finally, after several hours, Kira began to stir. She opened her eyes slowly, shifting her arms as she did so. Her back no longer hurt, but the wings felt strange against her back. And, yet, they felt as if they belonged there. There was no bulky lump on her back; instead, the wings fit perfectly against her body. Sitting up, she stared at Kurama.

"What part of 'stay away from me' don't you understand?" she asked sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, Kira," said Kurama. "I wanted to watch over you."

"Was that what you had in mind when you handed me over to Yomi?"

"Look, I didn't come here for you to harp on me. I came to tell you something. It's about you."

"Then spit it out!"

Kurama sighed. "You see, Yomi wants you to look for the Angel's Tear because, well...look at your wings."

Confused, Kira stretched her wings, which had been slipped through holes that had been cut in the back of her shirt, slightly folding them around her. She gasped when she saw them. "They're..."

"White," Kurama finished for her. "It seems that your wings were red from blood."

"Did you know this? That I'm...I'm the white phoenix?"

Kurama looked down, but did not answer her.

"You knew...? You knew, and you didn't bother to tell me?"

"It was for your own good!" he said defensively.

"Right, and was it for my own good to let Yomi take as his...his lab rat and torture me? Go away, Kurama! I don't want to see you! Just leave me alone!"

"Kira, I-"

"I don't want to hear it! Get out!" She punctuated her last sentence with a sharp glare, uncharacteristic of her deep-blue eyes.

Before Kurama could leave, the ground suddenly began to shake, sending them both toppling over. Yusuke came running into the room.

"What's going on?" Kira shouted over the noise.

Yusuke stumbled as the ground shook violently, before falling over next to her.

"There's a cat demon trying to break into the temple!" he shouted back. "Genkai put up a barrier around the temple shortly after you arrived here, but it's starting to weaken! Botan's going to take you to Koenma's Castle, where you'll be safe!"

Kira nodded, and got to her feet and walked over to the Yusuke, helping him up while trying to keep her balance. She left Kurama to help himself, too angry at him to bother helping. Yusuke and Kira slowly made their way back to the lobby, where Botan was waiting for her. Using her oar to keep her balance, Botan approached Yusuke and Kira.

"The portal is out in the courtyard," she explained, raising her voice so they could hear her.

Much of the furniture in the corridor leading to the courtyard had fallen over, partially blocking their path. They avoided as much debris as they could, but they could not avoid all of it. Several times they fell over broken peices of table, narrowly missing broken glass from various vases and windows. But after five long minutes, they finally emerged from the temple. What they saw, frightened them, especially Kira. Just a few yards away, Avalin and a small force of fierce-looking demon soldiers were beating away at the barrier. Visible cracks were slowly growing larger and orders given by Avalin could be heard from the other side.

"Move it!" Avalin shouted, striking at the barrier. She looked up and, spotting Kira, smiled cruelly. "You're mine."

Kira's eyes grew wide began to shake, but managed to find the courage to speak. "No way in hell! I'm never going back there!"

Avalin scowled and mustered all her strength, pulling back her staff and struck the barrier. It shattered almost instantly. As the barrier fell around her, Avalin dashed toward Kira, staff held high for a blow at her. But Yusuke met her half-way, kicking her in the stomach and sending her skidding several feet. He then unleashed his rei-shotgun on the other demons.

"Go!" He shouted. "I'll hold them off!"

Botan nodded and grabbed Kira's arms, before summoning a portal and pulling her through it. Kira closed her eyes as the whirling blue mist of the portal enveloped her. It only lasted a moment, but it was long enough for her to feel disoriented. She stumbled and tripped as she landed in front of a pair of immense castle doors. Shivering with anticipation, Kira followed Botan into the palace, not knowing what awaited her.

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**I hope you enjoyed Chapter 10! Don't forget to review! I really appreciate them! Chapter 11 is on the way!**


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